Why would anyone still read a story? What's the benefit of it in this world that's too fragmented, too ignorant?

This a surreal travelling story with very little explained. This is a character I have used before although I'm not sure if this is the first chapter of a novel or not. The focus is primarily on the workings of the mind.

Arlene and her life with the wasps.

This is an essay I wrote my first semester in college for an expository writing class, which I have not edited since, making this the original submitted version. I believe it is unique since all previous critiques I had seen of